HOUSE-W ISE
indoors
Easy Fall
Fixes
with D a n n y L ip fo rd
S a y h e l l o t o o u r n e w e s t
c o n t r i b u t i n g e d i t o r , t e l e v i s i o n h o s t a n d h o m e
i m p r o v e m e n t e x p e r t D a n n y L ip f o r d . L o o k f o r
h is a d v i c e o n e a s y h o m e m a i n t e n a n c e a n d
r e p a i r s t h r o u g h o u t o u r r e n o v a t i o n s t o r i e s .
ow’s the time to
tackle a few simple
home maintenance
chores before Old
. Man Winter blows
into town. Here are my top three
must-dos for fall.
SMOKE
a l a r m s
Smoke and carbon
monoxide (CO) alarms are your
best bet for protecting your family
from a fire or carbon monoxide
poisoning. There are two types
of smoke detectors available-
ionization for detecting flames and
photoelectric for smoky fires. Roth
types are important, so install one
of each or use dual-sensor units.
Alarms that combine smoke and CO
detectors are also available; just be
sure to install them on or near the
ceiling. (Unlike CO, smoke rises, so
smoke or combination alarms need
to be placed on or near the ceiling.)
Test alarms every month, change
the batteries at least once a year,
and replace alarms that are more
than 10 years old. Dust can affect
alarm response time, so vacuum or
blow out any dust with canned air.
LAWN EQUIPMENT
Prepare gas-
powered lawn mowers for the
winter by cleaning dirt and grass
clippings from the exterior. To
prevent fuel from gumming up the
engine, drain the tank into a gas can
and run the engine until it stops.
Another option is to add fuel
stabilizer to the gas tank, which
will keep the gas from oxidizing
and causing corrosion. This is also
a good time to change the oil, clean
the air filter, and sharpen the blade
so you’re ready to go in the spring.
g u t t e r s
Fall leaves maybe
beautiful to look at, but they fill
your gutters and clog downspouts,
causing water to rot cave boards
and eat away at your foundation.
Clean gutters by removing the
debris with a plastic scoop, or with
a special curved wand attached to
your garden hose. To check for
leaks, grab your umbrella when it’s
raining and look closely at all gutter
connections. Once the gutters are
dry, use gutter repair caulk and a
caulk gun to patch any leaks.
With winter ice and spring
rains on the way, it’s also a good
time to ensure gutters are securely
attached to the house. Check for
any loose gutter spikes (
8
-inch-long
nails that secure gutters to the
eaves) and replace them with gutter
screws, which hold better. Simply
remove the loose spike and drill the
gutter screw into the same hole, inb
Danny is the host of the nationally syndicated
show,
Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford;
visit his Web site at
dannylipford.com
K
O
H
L S
exp ect
great
things-
S h e e r Tapestry
YOUR ^/EVERYDAY INDULGENCE
o lg a in t im a t e s .c o m
BETTER
HOMES AND
GARDENS NOVEMBER
2008
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